Grade Four Science
Students will develop an understanding of five general units: Waste and Our World, Wheels and Levers, Building Devices and Vehicles that Move, Light and Shadows, and Plant Growth and Changes.
Children’s early experiences shape what they imagine to be possible. Study after study has shown the value of exposing children with positive role models. Representation, including in the hours spent consuming media within the classroom, shape what they imagine to be possible for people who look like them, live where they live, or come from where they came from. Simply put, kids determine what they can be based on the examples around them. Therefore, we highly recommend you take 2-5 minutes everyday in your science class to introduce scientists of colour. We've made this easy for you by creating a presentation that you can use with a slide a day to showcase a new scientist of diverse background. You could do this on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly or during a certain month. You could also make your own presentation and encourage this representation.
K-6 Scientists of Colour by Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation
Light and Shadows
Ulugh Begh
Biography of the famous astronomer Ulugh Begh from Iran. He founded one of the first observatories in Asia, employing some of the best astronomers of the time, and contributed greatly to the study of astronomy.
Ulugh Begh
Biography of the famous astronomer Ulugh Begh from Iran. He founded one of the first observatories in Asia, employing some of the best astronomers of the time, and contributed greatly to the study of astronomy.
- Curriculum connection:
- 4.12: Explore a variety of optical devices (microscope/kaleidoscopes, etc.) - Suggested use:
- Connect his study of astronomy to optical devices, such as the telescope, and how they are made and used - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal and hard of hearing
- Additional accommodations required for visually impaired students
Plant Growth and Changes
George Washington Carver
Born into slavery, George Washington Carver became a foremost botanist, inventor and teacher. He invented over 300 uses for the peanut and developed methods to prevent soil depletion. He was made a member British Royal Society of Arts — a rare honor for an American – and advised prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and President Teddy Roosevelt on agriculture and nutrition.
George Washington Carver
Born into slavery, George Washington Carver became a foremost botanist, inventor and teacher. He invented over 300 uses for the peanut and developed methods to prevent soil depletion. He was made a member British Royal Society of Arts — a rare honor for an American – and advised prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and President Teddy Roosevelt on agriculture and nutrition.
- Curriculum connection:
- 5.3: Classify common plants - Suggested use:
- Research project on George Washington Carver and how his findings help us understand how plants grow and change today
- Research and play into the role of a botanist to care for a plant over a period of time
- Hot seat as George Washington Carver
- Invent a device to help plants grow using knowledge of the care and growth of a plant - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal and hard of hearing
- Additional accommodations required for visually impaired students
The Story of George Washington Carver
A 5-minute video on George Washington Carver's life, and his contributions to the study of plants.
A 5-minute video on George Washington Carver's life, and his contributions to the study of plants.
- Curriculum connection:
- 5.3: Classify common plants. - Suggested use:
- Use for further teaching on George Washington Carver - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal and hard of hearing
- Closed captioning available on video
- Additional accommodations required for visually impaired students
Waste and Our World
Earth Day 2018
Celebrate Earth Day like a birthday on April 22nd! This anthem shows ways you can help save the Earth.
Celebrate Earth Day like a birthday on April 22nd! This anthem shows ways you can help save the Earth.
- Curriculum connection:
- 1.11: Identify actions that individuals and groups can take to minimize the production of wastes, to recycle or reuse wastes and to ensure the safe handling and disposal of wastes - Suggested use:
- Hold a class discussion on ways to be individual responsible for the environment and make positive life choices - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal and hard of hearing. Additional accommodations may be required for visually impaired students
Autumn Peltier I am Indigenous
12 year old Autumn Peltier speaks about the impact of corporations on the Earth's water supply.
12 year old Autumn Peltier speaks about the impact of corporations on the Earth's water supply.
- Curriculum connection:
- 1.11: Identify actions that individuals and groups can take to minimize the production of wastes, to recycle or reuse wastes and to ensure the safe handling and disposal of wastes - Suggested use:
- Inspire a class discussion around concepts such as environmental care, Indigenous ways of knowing, fairness and equity, activism, the needs of humans, animals, and plants, empathy, community, and identity - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal and hard of hearing additional. Accommodations may be required for visually impaired students as descriptive captioning is not available
Building Devices and Vehicles that Move
The Learning Circle
Produced to help meet Canadian educators growing need for elementary-level learning exercises on the Indigenous population in Canada. Composed of six themes, each unit contains its own activities.
The Learning Circle
Produced to help meet Canadian educators growing need for elementary-level learning exercises on the Indigenous population in Canada. Composed of six themes, each unit contains its own activities.
- Curriculum connection:
- 3.1: Design and construct moving devices - Suggested use:
- Lesson plan on page 9 of PDF on constructing canoes with connection to Indigenous traditions and how it is used in communities - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal (accommodations required for discussions)
- Visually impaired students may benefit from a read aloud that includes descriptions of visual components of the story
- Additional accommodations required for hard of hearing students
Indigenous Boats
This website shows the different boats used within Indigenous cultures, the materials collected to build, and where they were most commonly used. This video shows the history of various boats.
This website shows the different boats used within Indigenous cultures, the materials collected to build, and where they were most commonly used. This video shows the history of various boats.
- Curriculum connection:
- 3.6 Identify steps to be used in constructing a device or vehicle, and work cooperatively with other students to construct the device or vehicle - Suggested use:
- Discussion relating to shape and function of boat size and intended use
- Using knowledge gained from website and video, students construct their own device that will be able to move through water on its own - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal (accommodations required for discussions)
- Additional accommodations required for hard of hearing and visually impaired students
Plant Growth and Changes
China: Animals and Plants
A website describing what wildlife be found in China, from animals to plants.
China: Animals and Plants
A website describing what wildlife be found in China, from animals to plants.
- Curriculum connection:
- 5.3: Classify common plants - Suggested use:
- Students can research plants in China and compare to plants we can find in Alberta - Accessibility:
- Accessible for nonverbal
- Accommodations may be required for visually impaired students and hard of hearing as descriptive captioning is not available
Miscellaneous
Multicultural Science and Math Connections: Middle School Projects and Activities
Make your curriculum multicultural with this far-reaching book. Part I features the contributions of more than a dozen cultures from Africa to the Arctic, which students can explore through hands-on activities for individuals and groups. Part II focuses on the findings of Hypatia, George Washington Carver, Mae Jemison, and seven other accomplished but sometimes little-known scientists and mathematicians.
Multicultural Science and Math Connections: Middle School Projects and Activities
Make your curriculum multicultural with this far-reaching book. Part I features the contributions of more than a dozen cultures from Africa to the Arctic, which students can explore through hands-on activities for individuals and groups. Part II focuses on the findings of Hypatia, George Washington Carver, Mae Jemison, and seven other accomplished but sometimes little-known scientists and mathematicians.
- Curriculum connection:
- Covers various outcomes across all five Science units - Suggested use:
- Use to implement meaningful science lessons and activities - Accessibility:
- Accommodations required for nonverbal, hard of hearing, and visually impaired dependent on student activity
Implementing meaningful STEM Education with Indigenous Students & Families
There are a set of strategies teachers can use to intentionally incorporate indigenous ways of knowing into STEM learning environments—both in and out of school and in relation to family and community.
There are a set of strategies teachers can use to intentionally incorporate indigenous ways of knowing into STEM learning environments—both in and out of school and in relation to family and community.
- Suggested use:
- Use this document along with the Alberta Science Program of Study to create meaningful lessons
Steps to create an Anti-Racist Science Lesson
Choosing a meaningful and culturally responsive phenomenon is the cornerstone to teaching an equitable, anti-racist science lesson.
Choosing a meaningful and culturally responsive phenomenon is the cornerstone to teaching an equitable, anti-racist science lesson.
- Suggested use:
- Use this document along with the Alberta Science Program of Study to create meaningful lessons
